Remote controlling apparatus



May 2, 1939.

c. E. STAPLES REMOTE CONTRCLLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 6, 193'? W b a.

N Q mm mm E. @W b INVENTOR Stapler.

H15 ATTO R N EY Patented May 2, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,156,707 REMOTE CONTROLLING APPARATUS Application February 6, 1937, Serial No. 124,496

11 Claims.

My invention relates to remote controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type involving a controlling device and a controlled device at one point, as well as a controlling device and a controlled device at a second point. One feature of my invention is the provision of novel and improved means for governing each controlled device by the controlling device at the other point through the medium of a single line circuit.

Apparatus embodying my invention is particularly well adapted for use in connection with the control and indication of railway switches, although it is not limited to this particular use.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus for the contro-l and indication of a railway switch and em bodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character S designates a railway switch which is moved to normal and reverse positions by suit- 5 able operating mechanism including a motor X.

This motor comprises the usual armature l and field winding 2. The switch also operates movable contacts 3 and 4. Contact 3 is in engagement with fixed contact 5 only when the switch is in its normal position and is in engagement with fixed contact 6 in all positions of the switch except the normal position. Contact 4 is in engagement with fixed contact 1 in all positions of the switch except the reverse position and is in engagement with contact 8 only when the switch is in its reverse position.

Energy for operating the motor X and other apparatus is supplied by a battery 9 having a positive terminal B, a negative terminal N, and a common terminal C.

The switch motor X is controlled by a pair of normal and reverse switch control relays and by an overload relay designated by the reference characters NW, RW, and OR, respectively. As shown in the drawing, the switch S is occupying its normal position and both relays NW and RW are deenergized. When, for example, relay RW becomes energized, motor X will be supplied with current by virtue of a circuit which passes from terminal B of battery 9, through front point of contact ID of relay RW, motor armature i, resistor II, and winding l2 of overload relay OR in multiple, back point of contact l3 of relay NW,

"and. motor field 2 to terminal N of battery 9. The motor will then rotate in such direction as to reverse the switch, and when the switch reaches its reverse position and becomes locked, relay RW will, as will be explained more in detail hereinafter, become deenergized to disconnect energy from the motor X. When relay NW becomes energized, motor X will be energized by a circuit which passes from terminal B of battery 9, through front point of contact i3 of relay NW, resistor II, and winding [2 of relay OR in parallel, armature I, back point of contact H) of 10 relay RW, and field 2 to terminal N. The motor will then rotate in such direction as to move the switch S to its normal position, and when the switch reaches this position and becomes locked, relay NW will, as will be explained more in detail 15 hereinafter, become deenergized to disconnect energy from the motor X.

Relays NW and RW receive energy from rectifiers I4 and [5, respectively. Rectifiers i4 and i5 are selectively energized by current from trans- 20 formers M and Q, respectively, flowing through tuned circuits which, as here shown, comprise condensers designated by the reference characters l6, I1, and I8, respectively, and which are so proportioned that the circuit for rectifier I4 25 is responsive only to alternating current having a frequency of cycles per minute to operate relay NW, and the circuit for rectifier i5 is responsive only to alternating current having a frequency of cycles per minute to operate re- 30 lay RW.

The alternating current at such frequencies is selectively supplied to transformers M and Q by line conductors l9 and 20 in accordance with the position of a control lever L which may, for ex- 35 ample, be located at a point remote from the switch S.

For supplying alternating current at the two frequencies, I provide coding relays Cl and C2 which include contacts 22 and 23 operating at a 40 rate of 120 and 180 times per minutes respectively. For supplying energy to contacts 22 and 23 and to relays Cl and C2, and other apparatus,

I provide a battery 24 having a positive terminal B, a negative terminal N, and a common termi- 5 nal C.

For indicating the condition of the switch, I provide a polarized indication relay KR which is energized in one direction or the other in accordance with the switch position. As here shown. so relay KR is energized in the normal direction by a circuit which passes over a path from terminal B of battery 9 through back point of contact 25 of relay NW, resistor 26, switch contact 3-5,

'wire I9, relay KR, back point of contact 2! of 55 a transfer relay T, and wire 20 to terminal C of battery 9.

The transfer relay T receives its energy from a rectifier 36 which in turn receives energy from a transformer P.

With the apparatus in the condition shown in the drawing, the manipulation of lever L to its reverse position will complete a circuit for energizing the primary winding 3| of transformer P by alternating current of a frequency of 180 cycles per minute. This circuit may be traced from contact 23 of relay C2 which contact is alternately connected at its front and back points at the rate of 180 times per minute with terminals B and N of battery 24, through contact 32-33 of lever L, winding 3| of transformer P, back point of contact 34 of transfer relay T, front point of contact 35 of relay KR, normal polar contact 35-31 of relay KR, and contact 28-38 of lever L to terminal C of battery 24. When transformer P becomes energized, relay T will be energized so that alternating current energy of a frequency of 180 cycles per minute will be supplied to transformer Q to energize relay RW. The circuit for primary winding 46 of transformer Q may be traced over a path which passes from contact 23 of relay C2, lever contact 32-33, primary winding 3| of transformer P, front point of contact 34 of relay T, wire I9, contact 4-! of switch S, condenser l6, primary winding 40 of transformer Q, back contact 4| of overload relay OR, and wire 20 to terminal C of battery 24.

When relay RW becomes picked up, motor X will be energized in such direction as to move switch S from its normal position to its reverse position. As soon asthe switch moves away from its normal position, contact 3-6 will become closed thereby completing a circuit for the primary winding 48 of transformer M, which circuit is from wire I9 through contact 3-6, condensers l1 and I8 in multiple, primary winding 48 of transformer M, and back contact 49 of relay OR to wire 2|]. This circuit, however, is tuned to the 120 cycle current, and, consequently, the amount of 180 cycle current which is received by relay NW is not sufficient to effectively energize this relay. When the switch S reaches its reverse position, contact 4-1 becomes open and thereby disconnects the supply of current from winding 40 of transformer Q and winding 3| of transformer P so that both relays RW and T will become released.

When the latter relays are both released, energy will be supplied in the reverse direction to relay KR over a path which passes from terminal N of battery 9 through back contact 43 of relay RW, resistor 44, contact 4-8 of switch S, wire l9, relay KR, back point of contact 21 of relay T, and wire 26 to terminal C of battery 9. The polar contact 36 of relay KR moves, therefore, to its reverse position to indicate that the switch S occupies its reverse position and to c0ndition the control apparatus so that when lever L is manipulated to its normal position the switch S will be caused to move back to its normal position.

It will be noted that when relay T becomes energized, a slow releasing transfer relay TP also becomes energized over front point of contact 21 of relay T. Due to the slow releasing characteristic of the relay TP, however, on deenergization of relay T the back contact 41 of relay TP does not become closed until after relay KR becomes picked up by the closing of back point of contact 21 of relay T. The relay T, therefore, will not become energized again during the time when relay T is released but before relay KR becomes picked up.

Assuming now that the switch S and the lever L are both in their reverse positions and that the lever L is restored to its normal position, 120 cycle current will then be supplied to primary winding 48 of transformer M by coder C| through contact 3-6 and the transfer relay apparatus P and T as before. Relay NW will therefore become energized to supply current to motor X in such direction as to restore switch S to its normal position. As soon as the switch begins to move, contact 4-1 will become closed to connect primary winding 4|] of transformer Q across the line wires l9 and 26, but because the circuit for this transformer is tuned to the 180 cycle current, the amount of 120 cycle current which reaches relay RW will be insufiicient to effectively energize this relay. When the movement of the switch to the normal position is completed, contact 3-6 will open so that relays NW and T will become deenergized. Relay KR will then become energized in its normal direction through contact 25 of relay NW and switch operated contact 3-5 so that all parts of the apparatus will be restored to the conditions in which they are shown in the drawing.

In the event that switch S is moved from either of its extreme positions, energy will be automatically supplied to the corresponding control relay NW or RW to return the switch to the position from which it moved. For example, if switch S moves from its normal position so that contact 3-5 becomes opened and contact 3-6 becomes closed, relay KR will become released to establish a circuit for primary winding 3| of transformer P to energize transfer relay T. The

circuit for primary winding 3| may be traced over a path which passes from contact 22 of coding relay CI, which contact is alternately engaging by its front and back contacts at the rate of 120 times per minute with terminals B and N of battery 24, through lever contact 32-46, primary winding 3|, back point of contact 34 of relay T, back point of contact 35 of relay KR, and back point of contact 47 of repeating relay TP to terminal C of battery 24. When relay T is energized, relay NW will become energized to cause the switch S to return to its normal position. The circuit for energizing primary winding 48 of transformer M to energize relay NW may be traced from contact 22 of relay CI, lever contact 32-46, primary winding 3| of transformer P, front point of contact 34 of relay T, wire l9, switch contact 3-6, condensers l1 and I8 in multiple, primary winding 48 of transformer M, back contact 49 of overload relay OR, and wire 20 to terminal C of battery 24.

In the event that during operation of the switch S an overload on the switch motor X occurs, the overload relay OR will become picked up by the excessive current in winding 2 to disconnect relay NW or RW, as the case may be,

4| and 49, relay NW will still be connected by,

contact 50-52 to its control circuit so that the switch may-be restored to its normal position. In a similar manner, the energization of relay NWcauses contact 5053 to become closed so that relay RW" can be energized when overload relay OR is picked up. 7

When overload relay OR, is picked up, the closing of the front point of its contact 54 will establish one or the other'of two stick circuits'for winding 55 of relay OR, dependingupon the condition of contact 56 of toggle mechanism 5! which is controlled by relays NW and RW in a manner similar to that described for toggle 5| and contact 50. If relay O-R becomes picked up with the apparatus in the condition shown in the drawing, one stick circuit will be established for supplying winding 55 with energy in one direction which circuit passes over a path from terminal B of battery 9, through contact 56-58 of relay RW, front point of contact of relay OR, and winding 55 of relay OR to terminal C of battery 9. If relay RW is energized to cause contact 56 to assume its other position, the clos- 'ing of contact 56-59 will supply energy in the opposite direction to winding 55 so that relay OR will be certain to release. The snubbing circuit for winding 55 of relay OR including the back point of its contact 54, causes relay OR to be slow in picking up so that momentary surges in the motor current in winding 12 of relay OR will not cause the operation of the overload relay. Contacts 4| and 49 of relay OR, are so adjustedwith respect to contact 54 that when the overload relay becomes picked up, contacts 4| and 49 will remain in engagement with their back points until after contact 54 comes into engagement with its front point. This insures that when relay OR is operated, relays NW and RW will not become deenergized to disconnect motor current from winding R2 of relay OR until such time as the relay OR becomes completely picked up to establish one or the' other of its stick circuits.

The means shown in this application for providing overload protection for the switch motor X is an improvement over that shown in application Serial No. 179,704 of Claude M. Hines and Bernard E. OHagan, filled December 14, 1937, for Railway traffic controlling apparatus, and in application Serial No. 133,218 of Norman F. Agnew and Claude M. Hines forRailway switch controlling apparatus.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a line conductor, an indication relay, indication means including said line conductor for governing said indication relay, a control lever, a transfer relay for governing said indication relay and the energy supplied to said conductor, means effective when said lever is in a particular condition with respect to said indication relay to control said transfer relay, and means including said line conductor for also controlling said transfer relay.

2. In combination, a line conductor, an indication relay, indication means including said line conductor for governing said indication relay, a control lever, a transfer relay, means: effective when said lever is in a particular condition with respect to said indication relay to energize said transfer relay, means including said conductor for also energizing said transfer relay, and means effective when said transfer relay is energized to remove said indication relay from control by said indication :means and to connect said line conductor with a contact of said lever.

3. In combination, a pair of line conductors, means for supplying said pair of conductors with energy in one direction or the other, a polarized indication relay receiving energy from said conductors and caused to assume one condition or another condition in accordance with the direction of-energization, a control lever having one condition-and another condition, a transfer relay for'connecting said line conductors to said indication relay or to said lever according as the transfer relay is deenergized or energized respectively, a circuit for said transfer relay including its own back contact and a contact closed only when said indication relay is in said one condition as well as a contact closed only when said lever is in said other condition, another circuit for said transfer relay including its own back contact and a contact closed only when said indication relay is in said other condition as well as a contact closed only when said lever is in said one condition, a repeatingrelay which becomes energized or deenergized according as said transfer relay is energized or deenergized respectively, a different circuit for said transfer relay including its own back contact as well as a back contact of said indication relay and a back contact of said repeating relay, and still a different circuit-for said transfer relay including its own front contact and said line conductors.

4. In combination, a railway switch, controlling means for said switch'responsive to energy interrupted at two different rates and receiving energy from a pair of line wires, an indication device responsive to reversals of unidirectional current, means including contacts operated by said switch for supplying unidirectional current to said lin'e wire's in one direction or the other,

anormally'denergized transfer relay, means including a back contact of said transfer relay for connecting said indication device to said line wires, alever having contacts connected-to a source of energy interrupted at two different rates, means including a front contact of said transfer relay for connecting said line wires to said contacts, and means governed by said indication device and said lever for energizing said transfer relay.

5. In combination, a pair of control relays, a motor controlled by said relays, an overload relay controlled by said motor, control circuits for selectively energizing said control relays to govern said motor, means including contacts of said overload relay for connecting said control relays to said control circuits, and means including contacts governed by said control relays whereby when one of said control relays is energized the other control relay will remain connected to its control circiut even if said overload relay is actuated.

6. In combination, a motor, an overload relay having an operating winding and a holding winding, said operating winding being controlled by the current supplied to said motor, a pair of control relays, control circuits for selectively energizing said control relays to govern said motor, means including contacts governed by said overload relay for connecting said control relays to said control circuits, and means including contacts governed by said control relays eifective when said overload relay is picked up to supply energy to said holding winding in one direction or the other depending upon which control relay is energized.

'7. In combination, a pair of line conductors, a source of energy periodically interrupted at one rate or at a different rate, a polarized indication relay energized from said conductors, a mechanism movable between two positions, two control devices energized from said conductors, one of said control devices being responsive only to energy interrupted at said one rate and being operable to effect movement of said mechanism to one of its positions, the other of said control devices being responsive only to energy interrupted at said diiferent rate and being operable to effect movement of said mechanism to the other of its positions, means controlled in accordance with the position of said mechanism for supplying direct current of one polarity or of the other to said line conductors and for controlling the connection of said control devices to said line conductors, a supply circuit, a member manually movable between two positions, said member being operable in one position to efiect the supply of energy to said supply circuit from said source of energy interrupted at one rate and being operable in its other position to efi'ect the supply of energy to said supply circuit from said source of energy interrupted at said different rate, an auxiliary relay, and means responsive to the flow of periodically interrupted energy in said supply circuit for energizing said auxiliary relay, said auxiliary relay being operable when energized to connect said line conductors in series with said supply circuit.

8. In combination, a pair of line conductors having at one end a polarized direct current relay energized from said conductors, a source of alternating current of one frequency, a source of alternating current of another frequency, and a manually operated member controlling circuits also controlled by said polarized relay for eiiecting connection of one or the other of said alternating current sources to said line conductors, a switch, a motor for operating said switch between a normal and a reverse position, devices at said other end of said conductors responsive only to alternating current and selectively responsive to said different frequencies of alternating current for effecting operation of said motor to cause movement of the switch to one position or the other, and means controlled by said devices and by the position of the switch for supplying direct current of one polarity or the other to said conductors.

9. In combination, a motor, a pair of control relays for energizing said motor to cause it to operate in one direction or the other, a control circuit for each control relay for energizing said relay, an overload relay responsive to the current taken by said motor and controlling both of said control circuits, each control relay having associated therewith means operative on energization of said control relay to establish for the other control relay a circuit shunting the overload relay and through which said other control relay may be energized on the supply of current to its control circuit irrespective of the condition of the overload relay, each control relay being also operative on energization to interrupt its own circuit shunting the overload relay, and means for selectively supplying current to the control circuits for said control relays.

10. In combination, a motor, a pair of control relays for energizing said motor to cause it to operate in one direction or the other, a control circuit for each control relay for energizing said control relay, each of said control circuits having two branches in parallel, an overload relay responsive to the current taken by the motor and controlling one branch of each of the control circuits, the other branch of each of the control circuits being controlled by both of said control relays, and means for selectively supplying current to said control circuits.

11. In combination, a motor, a pair of control relays for energizing said motor to cause it to operate in one direction or the other, a control circuit for each control relay for energizing said control relay, each of said control circuits having two branches in parallel, an overload relay responsive to the current taken by the motor and controlling one branch of each of the control circuits, each control relay being operative when energized to establish the circuit through the other branch of the control circuit for the other control relay and to interrupt the circuit through the other branch of its own control circuit, and means for selectively supplying current to said control circuits.

CRAWFORD E. STAPLES. 

